Expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3 after transplantation of human umbilical cord blood stem cells combined with electroacupuncture stimulation in rats with spinal cord injuries / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that umbilical cord blood stem cel transplantation promote the recovery of spinal cord injury, and electroacupuncture also can inhibit the proliferation of astrocytes to reduce damage to scar formation, suggesting that a combination of umbilical cord blood stem cel transplantation and electroacupuncture may play an important role in the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries. OBJECTIVE:To observe the influence of transplantation of human umbilical cord blood stem cels combined with electroacupuncture at theDu channel on expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3 in rats with spinal cord injuries. METHODS: Seventy-two female Sprague-Dawlay rats were randomly divided into control group, injury group, transplantation group and combined therapy group. In the control group, only an incision on the back was sutured;in the injury group, a piece of saline-infiltrated gelatin sponge, 1 mm×2 mm×2 mm, was placed into the transected spinal cord at T10 level; in the transplantation group and combined therapy group, a piece of gelatin sponged infiltrated in the suspension of human umbilical cord blood stem cels was placed into the transected spinal cord, respectively, and then, electroacupuncture stimulation at the Duchannel was performed in the combined therapy group at 1 hour after modeling. Specimens were taken at 7, 14, 28 days after modeling in each group, and then immunohistochemistry, western blot and real time-PCR methods were used to detect the expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the transplantation group, the expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3 was lower in the injury group but higher in the combined therapy group at 7, 14, 28 days after modeling (P < 0.05). The results of western blot and real time-PCR were consistent with those of immunohistochemical detection. Findings show that human umbilical cord blood stem cel transplantation combined with electroacupuncture has a remarkable synergistic effect in the treatment of spinal cord injury that can significantly up-regulate the expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3, and contribute to injured spinal cord repair, regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.